Short Film Ideas—9 Ways To Find A Story That Will Wow Your Audience
Are you stuck coming up with an idea for your next short film? Do you have a few ideas rolling around your head, but getting the creative juices flowing is just not happening?
Instead of beating yourself up over a blank canvas, I wanted to share nine ways that you can use to let your imagination run wild, find fresh and compelling short film ideas, or give your existing short film script the spark it needs.
Table of contents:
1. Find An Ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances
The first way I want to share with you that will help you brainstorm short film ideas is the foundational theory that lies at the bottom of every good movie idea in the film industry.
Once you understand this conceptual framework, you'll be able to turn yourself into a film idea generator and come up with new short film ideas from anywhere. The formula for every successful idea in the film industry is the following:
“An ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances.”
It sounds so simple, and it is! At the heart of every successful fiction movie lies the foundation of a character propelled into an extraordinary situation, which creates conflict and drama—the main drivers of any properly made movie. Without conflict and drama, a film will feel slow and boring.
To illustrate this concept, look at some of the log lines of the following feature films in IMDb's list of best movies ever made:
"When a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth—the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence." — The Matrix.
"A team of explorers travels through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity's survival." — Interstellar.
"A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential." — Whiplash.
These stories are about ordinary people propelled into extraordinary circumstances. Now, to help you generate short film ideas for your next project, let me share a few ways to find short film ideas about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
2. Use News Headlines
One perfect source that can be a great starting point for finding short film ideas is using news headlines! In the news, they constantly share real-life events about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
With the constant flow of information and events happening worldwide, there's always something new and exciting to draw inspiration from.
Here are a few ways to find your own short film ideas using news headlines:
Look for current events
Stay up-to-date on current events and look for stories that catch your attention. Think about how you could adapt these events into a short film. For example, a news story about a natural disaster could inspire a short movie about a family rebuilding their destroyed house.
Look for human interest stories
Many news stories focus on the experiences and perspectives of real people. Look for human interest stories that resonate with you, and think about how you could adapt them into a short film. For example, a news story about someone overcoming a personal challenge could inspire a short film about a character facing a similar situation.
Look for controversial or thought-provoking stories
News headlines often feature controversial or thought-provoking stories that can spark creative ideas. Think about how you could address these issues in a short film and explore different perspectives.
Follow specific news outlets or journalists
Follow specific news outlets or journalists that cover topics that interest you. This will allow you to understand the stories they cover and may inspire new ideas for your short film.
Stay aware of local news
Local news can be an untapped source of inspiration for short film ideas. Pay attention to the local events happening in your community and consider how you could adapt them into a short film that resonates with your audience.
Using news headlines as inspiration, you can create a short film that is timely and relevant to a broad audience. Always fact-check and be mindful of the tone and context of the news story you're using as inspiration.
3. Explore Social Media
Another great place to find a story about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances is social media. With billions of people sharing their thoughts, experiences, and perspectives online, social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter are a goldmine of inspiration for short film ideas.
Here are a few ways to find good movie ideas on social media:
Follow trending topics
Social media platforms like Twitter often have topics that give you an idea of what people are talking about. These topics range from current events to pop culture phenomena and can be a great source of inspiration for a short movie.
Look at viral videos and memes
Social media is full of viral videos and memes that have captured people's attention. Consider using the concept or characters from a viral video or meme in your short movie.
Research hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to find content on social media related to a specific topic. Look for hashtags relevant to your interests, and use them to find content with narrative possibilities.
Follow influencers and content creators
Social media is home to various influencers and content creators. Look for accounts documenting people's lives in a specific location or culture, like a remote village or a unique city. You could also look for accounts that feature people with unusual hobbies, interests, jobs, or professions. All these options provide excellent story ideas that explore how normal people contribute to society and their daily extraordinary challenges.
When you find accounts or stories that would make great short film ideas, take some time to review the shared posts, comments, photos, and videos—all these outputs can give you a sense of the person's personality, values, and view of the world.
In short, they have done the perfect character study for you—for FREE!
4. Take Inspiration from your daily life
Instead of looking at other people’s lives to find inspiration for situations of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, you can take inspiration from your personal life experiences.
Here are a few ways to find an interesting story:
Observe your surroundings
The world around you is full of interesting people, places, and events. A simple walk around your neighborhood or sitting in a park and observing the people and their interactions can spark a great idea for a short film.
Reflect on your own personal life experiences
Think about your own experiences and historical events, the good and the bad, when you found yourself being propelled into extraordinary circumstances. Reflect on moments that stand out to you, whether they are funny, sad, or thought-provoking. These personal experiences can be turned into a short film that resonates with audiences.
Take inspiration from your hobbies and interests
If you're passionate about a certain topic or hobby, consider how you could use it as inspiration for a short film. For example, if you love photography, you could create a short film about a photographer and their journey to capture the perfect shot in extraordinary circumstances.
Be open to new experiences
Sometimes, the best ideas come from unexpected places. Be open to new experiences and try new things, whether trying a new hobby or visiting a new place. You never know when you will find yourself in a new extraordinary circumstance!
Pay attention to daily routines
The daily routine can also provide inspiration for a short film. The monotony of daily routine can be portrayed in a unique way, and also you can highlight the small moments that one might not notice in the daily rush.
Pay attention to the moments you have found yourself or the people closely related to you in extraordinary circumstances.
Experiences and observations that were truly unique. Think about the dynamics between yourself and different family members, friends, or coworkers.
You could explore the complexities of a particular relationship or examine how different people cope with difficult situations.
Reflect on your own fears or phobias and consider how you can use them as the basis for a short film.
By keeping an open mind and paying attention to the world around you, you'll be able to find lots of cool short film ideas close to you.
5. Use a “What If…” approach
Another cool trick to finding original short film ideas is to take a “What if…” approach. It’s basically a formula for exploring possibilities which comes down to the following:
“What if [ordinary person] in [extraordinary circumstance]?”
What if gen Z teenagers lived in the stone age?
What if dinosaurs existed today?
What if your younger brother lived inside a body that aged backward?
What if you spend 24 hours in a hot spring?
What if every high school teenager went through puberty in 24 hours?
These what-if story ideas are based on a simple “What if…” approach. If you’re looking for inspiration for what-if story ideas, this blog article with story ideas might be a place to find something to spark your creative imagination.
If that’s not going to seal the deal, I highly recommend watching some of the What If Science Show content.
It’s a YouTube account dedicated to “What if…” scenarios.
6. listen to podcasts
Another great source of inspiration for short film ideas is podcasts! Whether you're a filmmaker, screenwriter, or just someone who loves storytelling, there are countless podcasts out there that can spark your creativity.
Here are a few ways to brainstorm short film ideas by listening to podcasts:
Listen for interesting stories
Many podcasts are built around telling true or fictional stories. Pay attention to the stories that stand out to you, and think about how they could be adapted into a short film. For example, a podcast about true crime could inspire a short film about a detective solving a murder case.
Take note of unique perspectives
Podcasts offer various perspectives on various topics. Listen for unique points of view and consider how they could be used in your short film. For example, a podcast focusing on the experiences of people with disabilities could inspire a short film about a character navigating their world with physical limitations.
Listen for themes and motifs
Podcasts often explore specific themes or motifs, such as love, loss, or survival. Listen to these recurring themes and think about how you could use them in your short film. For example, a podcast about overcoming adversity could inspire a short film about a character facing and overcoming a difficult life challenge.
Pay attention to the sound design
Podcasts are not just about the content but also how they are presented. Listen to the sound design, music, and sound effects used in the podcast, and think about how you could apply these techniques in your short story.
7. watch other people’s work
Watching other people's work is another great way to find inspiration to brainstorm short film ideas.
Whether you're looking at books, comics, graphic novels, television, music, art, classic literature, folklore, or watching short films at a film festival, there's a wealth of material to draw inspiration from.
Here are a few ways to brainstorm short film ideas by watching other people's work:
Study the structure of a story
Pay attention to the structure of the story and how it is told. Think about how you could use a similar structure in your short story. For example, if you're watching a film that uses non-linear storytelling, consider how you could use that technique in your short film.
Look for themes and motifs
Many stories, whether in literature or film, explore specific themes or motifs. Identify these themes and motifs and think about how you could use them in your short film.
Analyze the characters
Pay attention to the characters in the story you're watching. Think about their motivations, desires, and flaws. Consider how you could use these character traits in your short film.
Study the visual and audio elements
Pay attention to the visual and audio elements in the story you're watching. Think about how the cinematography, special effects, music, and sound design are used to tell the story and how you could apply similar techniques in your own short films.
Take inspiration from classic literature or folklore
Classic literature and folklore are rich sources of inspiration for short films. Think about how you could adapt a classic story into a short film or take inspiration from the themes, motifs, and characters in these traditional stories.
By studying the works of others, you can come up with a short film idea that is both original and impactful.
Always give credit where credit is due and seek permission if you want to adapt someone else's work.
8. Embrace the rule of one
The "rule of one" is a powerful technique for generating short film ideas. It's a simple concept: instead of trying to come up with a complex plot based on multiple characters in different locations, try to minimize all the elements of the story to just ONE.
This could be a single character, a single setting, or a single event. But you can even take it further and build on one line of dialogue, one camera, one lens, one shot, one light source, one crew member, etc.
Limiting yourself to one as much as possible can limit the intimidating endless possibilities at the start, and you'll experience that limitations can be a blessing.
Here are a few ways to use the rule of one to find short film ideas:
One character
Choose a character and focus on their inner thoughts, feelings, and motivations. This could be a person struggling with a personal issue, such as grief or loss, or facing a difficult decision. The character's internal monologue can be a powerful tool for telling a story in a short film.
One location
Choose a specific film location and use it to create a sense of atmosphere and mood. This could be a house, a park, or a city street. The setting can become a character in its own right and can be used to create a sense of isolation, claustrophobia, or wonder.
One event
Choose a specific event and explore its ramifications. This could be a marriage proposal, a death, or a chance encounter. The event can drive the story forward and create emotional tension.
One theme
Pick a theme and use it as a lens to view the world. This could be a theme like love, loss, or identity.
At the of the day, it's not about the resources you have but how resourceful you are. By limiting yourself to one as much as possible, you can visualize a great story that is both simple, powerful, and easy to execute, costing you significantly less money to produce.
Less is often more when it comes to storytelling, so the next time you're looking for an idea for a short film, try using the rule of one and see where it takes you.
9. Use an AI Story generator
Creating an excellent short film idea can be challenging if you're struggling with writer's block. That's where an AI story generator can come in handy.
An AI story generator is a tool that uses artificial intelligence to generate plot ideas for stories in seconds.
The AI can consider different genres, themes, and even specific characters or settings to develop a unique and compelling story.
One way to use an AI story generator for short film ideas is to input specific parameters for the story, such as the genre and the desired length of the film.
The AI will then generate a plot that fits those parameters. The more specific your inputs, the better the ai writer will create an idea for you.
Another way to use an AI story generator is to let it generate a random plot without any specific parameters.
This can be a great way to develop a unique and unexpected story. Once you have a basic plot idea, you can use your creativity and imagination to flesh out the story and make it your own.
It's essential to keep in mind that an AI story generator is only a tool to help you generate ideas. It's up to you to take those ideas and turn them into a compelling short film script.
Conclusion
Whether you're inspired by your daily life, podcasts, or the rule of one, I hope these nine tips will provide a creative springboard and spark ideas for your next short film.
Remember to pay attention to the small moments in everyday life, the people and relationships around you, your hobbies and interests, and don't be afraid to experiment and try new things.
The key to finding short film script ideas is to focus on a story about an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances.
If you take this approach, I guarantee you will develop an original, impactful idea that will resonate with audiences.
The final piece of advice I want to give you is to take lots of breaks and do something completely unrelated to film.
Sometimes, a change of scenery, like a walk in the park or to the nearby coffee shop, and a break from the usual routine can help stimulate creativity and find new story ideas.
If you're looking for extra inspiration from other short films, check out my list of the 20 best short movies of all time!
Frequently Asked Questions about making short films (FAQ)
What Is A short film?
According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a short film is any movie that falls under 40 minutes. Generally, shorts are broken up into two categories: fiction and documentary.
Short fiction films tell stories through written storylines and dialogue, while documentary films rely on interviews and factual events.
Why are short films important?
Short films are a fantastic way to practice your skills as a filmmaker without needing to commit to the time or money required to visualize a full-length feature film script.
It's an excellent way to get your feet wet in the filmmaking world, build a network of creative collaborators, try out different genres and storytelling techniques, and discover which direction you want to take your creative career.
What are some of the best short film ideas?
Some of the best short film ideas include:
A character's internal struggle or decision-making process.
A day in the life of a particular person or group of people.
A retelling of a classic fairytale or legend from a different perspective.
A fictionalized retelling of an actual event or historical figure.
A comedic or satirical take on a current event or societal issue.
A thriller or mystery with a twist ending.
A science fiction or fantasy story with a unique concept or world-building.
A coming of age story about a young person's journey to adulthood.
An experimental or avant-garde film that explores form and style.
A film that explores themes of love, loss, or relationships.
How can I come up with original short film ideas?
There are many ways to come up with an original short film idea. Some suggestions include the following:
Look for inspiration in your own life or the world around you.
Starting with an emotion or feeling you want to convey.
Using a dream or nightmare as inspiration.
Using a memorable quote, song, experience, or place as inspiration.
Experiment with different genres and styles.
Combine elements from different stories or films to create something new.
Think about real-life events or societal issues that interest you, and consider how you can explore them in a movie.
Use prompts or writing exercises to generate new ideas.
Collaborate with other filmmakers or writers to bounce ideas off of each other.
Read, study, and watch short films online or at short film festivals to get a sense of what has been done before and how you can add your unique twist.
Is it better to have a specific message or theme when coming up with a short film idea?
It's up to you and what you want to achieve with your short movie. If you have a specific message or theme in mind that you want to convey, that can be a great starting point for your story.
On the other hand, if you wish to tell a compelling story without necessarily focusing on a specific message or theme, that can also be a great approach.
Can I base my short film on a true story?
Yes, you can base your short film on a true story, which can be a great way to create a compelling and authentic story. Just get permission if you're using someone else's story, and consider how you might need to adjust the story to fit the short film format.
How do I know if my short film idea is any good?
There's no surefire way to know if your short story idea is good, but you can get feedback from friends, colleagues, or mentors to see what they think.
You can also research platforms like IMDb to see if similar ideas have been done before and how they were received. Ultimately, the best way to know if your idea is good is to try it out and see how it works.
How can I develop my short film idea into a full script?
To develop a short film idea into a full script, try the following:
A good place to start is by creating a detailed outline of your story and the main character(s).
Develop your characters by giving them distinct personalities, motivations, and goals.
Write a treatment, which is a more extended version of the outline that includes more detailed descriptions of the characters, settings, and events.
Write a full script, including dialogue and stage directions.
Share your script with friends, family, and other filmmakers for feedback and revisions.
Once the script is finalized, consider filming the short film and video editing it.
How can I finance my short film?
Financing a short film can be challenging, but there are a few options available:
Self-financing
This involves using your savings or credit to fund the movie.
Crowdfunding
Platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo allow you to raise money from many people.
Sponsorships
Many companies are willing to sponsor short films in exchange for product placement or other forms of advertising.
Grants
Some organizations, such as film festivals, offer grants to filmmakers.
Film schools or institutions
Many film schools and institutions have funds to finance student film projects.
How to make A short film?
I know firsthand how intimidating the process of making a short film can be, but planning and preparation is the key to success when creating short films.
To help you on your way, I've broken down the process of how to make a short film in a very detailed step-by-step guide, which you can find here.
What are some tips for making a short film?
Tips for making a short film include:
Please keep it simple and stick to a limited number of locations and characters.
Use a small crew and minimal equipment to keep costs down.
Plan your shots and storyboard your film in advance.
Cast crew and actors who are passionate about your project and able to bring your characters to life.
Try to have a complete script before filming to make the filming process more efficient
Be open to feedback and revisions during the editing process.
How can I make sure my short film is good?
Making sure your short film is good can be a subjective matter, but a few things you can do to increase the chances of your film being well-received include:
Research and study other short films in your genre and style.
Writing a detailed script and storyboard before filming.
Casting actors who are passionate about your project and able to bring your characters to life.
Using a good-quality camera and equipment.
Paying attention to sound, lighting, all the props, and music to enhance the film.
Invest time and money in post-production, editing the film carefully to ensure the pacing and story are coherent.
